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| Is his dad Neil Armsdtrong? | |||
| {{Road bicycle racer infobox| | |||
| |ridername=Lance Armstrong | |||
| |image=]<br><center>Armstrong speaking at the ]</center> | |||
| |caption= | |||
| |fullname=Lance Armstrong | |||
| |dateofbirth=], ] | |||
| |country=] | |||
| |currentteam= none (retired) | |||
| |proyears=1992-1996<br>1997<br>1998-2004<br>2005 | |||
| |proteams=]<br>]<br>]<br>] | |||
| |majorwins=22 stages ] | |||
| * 7x ] | |||
| * 1x ] | |||
| * 1x ] | |||
| * 1x ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Lance Armstrong''' (born ], ]) is a retired ] professional ]. He is most famous for winning the ] a record seven consecutive times from ] to ]. These record-breaking feats were accomplished several years after brain and testicular surgery, and extensive chemotherapy in 1996, to treat ] that had ] to his ] and ]s. Armstrong's domination at the event had prompted many Americans to ] the race the ''"Tour de Lance"''.<ref name="google search"></ref> | |||
| In 2002, '']'' magazine named him ]. He was also named ] for ], ], ] and 2005, received ]'s ] for Best Male Athlete in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and won the ] Award in 2003. Armstrong retired from racing at the end of the ]. | |||
| His athletic success and his dramatic recovery from cancer inspired Armstrong to commemorate his accomplishments in conjunction with ] through the ], a charity founded in ]. The now ubiquitous "]" yellow rubber wristbands first launched in 2004 netted the Foundation tens of millions of dollars in the fight against cancer and helped Armstrong become a major player in the nonprofit sector. | |||
| ==Career== | |||
| ===Early career=== | |||
| Armstrong began his sporting career as a ], competing in adult competitions from the age of 14, he even appeared on the cover of Triathlete Magazine at age 17. It soon became clear that his greatest talent was as a bicycle racer. At 17, he received an invitation to train with the Junior National Cycling Team. ] school board said that the 42 day leave to train, taken during the second semester of his senior year, would bar him from graduating. Armstrong withdrew from ] with his mother's blessing and went to train with the team. He graduated from Bending Oaks Private Academy in ] the following spring. Armstrong still harbors resentment toward Plano because of this and prefers his adopted home of ]. | |||
| After competing as a cycling amateur, winning the US amateur championship in 1991 and finishing 14th in the ] road race, Armstrong turned professional in 1992. He finished last in his first professional cycle race, the ]. However, the following year he scored his first major victory as he rode solo to win the ] in ], ]. His victory was so impressive that he was invited to an audience with the ] which he initially turned down after finding his mother was not included in the invitation. Minutes later, the King invited both. | |||
| His success continued with Team Motorola, with whom he won stages in the 1993 and 1995 Tours de France and several classic one-day events. Also in 1995, he won the premier U.S. cycling event, the ], after placing second in 1994. He won the Tour DuPont again in 1996 and was ranked the number nine cyclist in the world. Later in 1996, however, he abandoned the Tour de France and had a disappointing Olympic Games. These early disappointments spurred him on to the great things he has achieved post-cancer, and he admits that if he had given in on the devilishly difficult ] in which he had previously finished last, he could have retired from the sport. | |||
| ===Cancer=== | |||
| On ], ], Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three ] that had ], spreading to his ]s and ]. His doctors told him that he had less than a 40 percent chance of survival. After his recovery, one of his doctors told him that his actual odds of survival had been considerably smaller (one even went as far as to say three percent), and that he had been given the estimate primarily to give him hope. The date of ] was eventually commemorated by Armstrong and Nike, through the "]" line of merchandise. One dollar from the sale of each piece of "10//2" merchandise is donated to the ], which was founded in ]. Armstrong managed to recover after surgery to remove his right testicle and two brain ]s, and a course of ], performed at ]. The standard chemotherapy for his cancer would have meant the end of his cycling career, because a known side effect was a dramatic reduction in lung function; he opted for a more severe treatment that was less likely to result in lung damage. While in remission he resumed training, but his contract had been canceled by his ]. He was eventually signed by the newly formed ], and by ], he was able to make his successful return in the cycling world marked by his fourth place overall finish in the ]. To this day, Armstrong lists his return from cancer as his proudest accomplishment. | |||
| === Tour de France success === | |||
| Armstrong's true comeback came in 1999, when he won his first ]. His final lead times over his closest competitor have been over six minutes every year except for 2003 and 2005. In 2003, he finished 1:01 ahead of ], following an unusual set of circumstances including a stomach illness at the outset of the race; in 2005, he finished 4:40 ahead of ]. In addition to his 7 overall wins, he has won 22 individual stages (1993-1, 1995-1, 1999-4, 2000-1, 2001-4, 2002-4, 2003-1, 2004-5, 2005-1). He has won 11 ]s in the Tour de France; his team has won the ] three times (2003–2005). | |||
| In his 2004 Tour victory, Armstrong won a personal-best 5 individual stages, plus the team time trial. He became the first man since ] in 1948 to win three consecutive mountain stages—15, 16, and 17. For the first time Armstrong also found himself unable to ride away from his rivals in the mountains (except for the ] in stage 16 up ] when he started two minutes behind Basso and passed him on the way up). He won sprint finishes from Basso in stages 13 and 15 and made up a huge gap in the last 250 meters to nip ] at the line in stage 17. He won the final individual time trial, stage 19, to complete his personal record of stage wins. Armstrong personally and his team stopped ] from breaking away from the ]. Simeoni and Amstrong had been treated by the same doctor, ]. Simeoni had testified that Ferrari had helped him with doping. Armstrong had stated that he thought Simeoni was lying. Simeoni sued Armstrong for "sporting fraud" and a suit and counter-suit for defamation ensued. All the cases were dropped without trial.<ref></ref> After Ferrari's conviction on doping charges, Armstrong severed all links. | |||
| Armstrong's 2005 Tour victory took place on ]. His ] won the team time trial, but he won only one individual stage, the final individual time trial. He looked strong from the beginning of the tour, being beaten in the first stage by only two seconds and passing one of his major competitors, ], on the road. In the ] and the ] he answered all attacks, even when his teammates, whose role was to support him, could not keep pace. Because of wet streets in ] on the last stage, the referees decided that the final ] overall time for the Tour would be taken 50 kilometers before the end, to avoid even more crashes. Armstrong crossed the finish line to the cheers of the French and international spectators for his seventh consecutive Tour de France victory. He is still a part owner of the Discovery team. | |||
| ===Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation=== | |||
| The Lance Armstrong Foundation was formed by Armstrong after fighting cancer. During summer 2004, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (with initial funding from Nike) developed the ]. The band was part of the Wear Yellow Live Strong educational program, intended to support ] victims and survivors and to raise awareness about cancer. The band sold in packs of 10, 100, and 1200 as part of an effort to raise $5 million for the ] in cooperation with ]. Individual bands sold for only US$1 each. Yellow was chosen for its importance in professional cycling, especially as the color of famed leader's yellow jersey of the ]. As of January 2006, over 58 million Livestrong wristbands have been sold. Armstrong has also lent his name to Nike's newest line of footwear, all branded with the familiar "Live Strong" yellow. Armstrong, a member of the President's Cancer Panel since 2002, said in a recent article (7/25/2005)<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/tourdefrance/2005-07-24-armstrong-mission_x.htm</ref> published in ] "we have the smartest people in the world" working on cures, so his (]) role is to get the funds to keep that research alive. | |||
| "Funding is tough to come by these days," he says. "The biggest downside to a war in ] is what you could do with that money. What does a war in Iraq cost a week? A billion? Maybe a billion a day? The budget for the ] is four billion. That has to change. It needs to become a priority again." | |||
| ]'s next steps with the Foundation are yet to be determined. But he seems to be giving thought to using his status as a celebrity and a cancer survivor to become more involved in the political world. | |||
| After being named the 2005 Sportsman of the Year, he said "Cancer and what all can be done there, not just in the world of health care, but if it's education or political, this is a very real issue," Armstrong said. "We're at an interesting time in medical research. That would be a serious rush for me if I could affect change there. | |||
| Armstrong points to rock singer ]'s lobbying for help for the world's poor and AIDS-stricken as a prime example of the power celebrity can bring to an issue. | |||
| He also realizes that battles involving politics and money could be much more difficult than anything he faced on the bike. He figures he won't be doing it alone, though, noting the 60 million Livestrong yellow bracelets the foundation has sold since 2004. "I know not all 60 million bought them because of a connection to cancer, but a lot of them did," he said. "When you consider that army, there's a powerful force for change." | |||
| ==Other interests, personal beliefs== | |||
| Armstrong has diverse interests outside cycling. He had a ] in the films '']'' and '']'' and has topped the bestsellers' lists with his book ''"It's Not About the Bike"'', for which he won the ] in 2000. He has also become a spokesperson for survivorship, and he launched his own wristbrand line called ''Livestrong''. | |||
| Armstrong drove the ] ] ] ] for the 2006 ]. <ref>http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=6282</ref> Later that same year, Armstrong was given an honorary degree from ] and gave the commencement address. <ref>http://www.tufts.edu/home/feature/?p=commencement2006&p2=2</ref> | |||
| With respect to personal beliefs, Armstrong does not belong to any organized religion.<ref>http://www.celebatheists.com/index.php?title=Lance_Armstrong</ref> | |||
| ==Reasons for success== | |||
| Many have discussed the reasons for Armstrong's success in winning seven Tours in a row. No single factor seems to be responsible, but rather a combination of the following: | |||
| ===Training methodology and preparation=== | |||
| Armstrong has clearly triumphed at least partly because he learned to apply the obsessive focus he developed fighting cancer to making a career of winning the Tour de France, training in ] for months leading up to the Tour de France and making frequent trips to ] to fully analyze and ride key parts of the upcoming Tour de France course. | |||
| That he focuses solely on the Tour De France and seldom competes in other major races allows him to train 342 days a year for the 23 days of the Tour, a significantly greater training time than riders who compete in other races. | |||
| ===Johan Bruyneel=== | |||
| The team's ], Belgian ex-cyclist ], was involved in all of Armstrong's victories. A master tactician who shared Armstrong's obsession for detailed preparation, Bruyneel's symbiotic relationship with Armstrong makes it difficult for even them to ascertain which one influenced the other how much. Starting with Armstrong talking Bruyneel into becoming their sports director, and Bruyneel convincing Armstrong that he could win the Tour, to their almost constant radio communications during each race, the amount of support these men provided for each other through the seven victories was immeasurable. | |||
| ===Riding style=== | |||
| Armstrong's riding style is also distinctive. He has an extremely high ] and therefore can maintain a higher ] (often 120 rpm) in a lower gear than his competitors, most noticeably in the time trials. This style is in direct contrast to previous champions (e.g. ] and ]) who used a high gear and brute strength to win time trials. It is believed that a high cadence results in less fatigue in the leg muscles than a lower cadence requiring more severe leg muscle contractions. Ultimately the cardiovascular system is worked to a greater extent with a high cadence than with a lower, more muscular cadence. Because the leg muscles are taxed less with a high cadence pedaling style, they recover faster and the efforts can be sustained for longer periods of time. Armstrong dedicated a significant portion of his training to developing and maintaining a very efficient high cadence style. | |||
| ===Rare athletic physical attributes=== | |||
| All top cyclists have excellent key physical attributes. Armstrong is no exception, although in one way, he may be unusually good even for an elite athlete. He is near but not at the top aerobically, having a ] of 83.8 mL/kg/min — much higher than the average person (40-50) but not as high as that of some other elite cyclists, such as ] (88.0, although reports exist that Indurain tested at 92-94) or ] (92.5){{citation needed}}. His heart is 30 percent larger than average, but an enlarged heart is common for athletes as well. He has a ] of 32-34 beats per minute with a ] at 201 bpm. Armstrong's most unusual attribute may be his low lactate levels: even with intense training, while the levels of most other racers range from 12 μL/kg to as much as 20 μL/kg, Armstrong doesn't go above 6 μL/kg. The result is that less lactic acid accumulates in Armstrong's system, so he likely feels less physical fatigue from severe efforts and/or he is able to sustain the same effort as other elite racers with less fatigue and faster recovery times. Some theorize that his high pedaling cadence is designed to take advantage of this, while others — like ] — rely on their anaerobic capacity more, pushing a larger gear at a lower rate. | |||
| Further improvements in Armstrong's physical attributes and performance have been attributed to training induced increases in his muscular efficiency indicating changes in muscle myosin type.<ref>http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/98/6/2191</ref> | |||
| ===Strength of his team=== | |||
| Some have attributed Armstrong's success in recent years in part to his ] (in 2005 the ]). Throughout his wins in the Tour de France, Lance has slowly built up the strength of his team. In his first few Tour victories, his team was not considered exceptionally strong. Yet it is evident by the wins of his team in the Team Time Trial in his last three Tour de France victories that they are now one of the most dominating teams in the Pro Tour Circuit. While the U.S. Postal Team competes in races worldwide, the riders selected to join Armstrong in the Tour de France are there specifically to help Armstrong win the ]. However, the decisive moves in which he gains very large leads over the competition almost always involve Armstrong racing far ahead of his team, and Armstrong has often fended off multiple attacks even when his team falters and he is isolated unexpectedly. | |||
| ===Support of broader team=== | |||
| Armstrong also revolutionized the support behind his well-funded teams, asking his sponsors and equipment suppliers to contribute and act as one cohesive part of the team. For example, rather than having the bike frame, handlebars, and tires of a bicycle designed and developed by separate companies miles away from each other, his teams adopted a ]-style relationship with sponsors and suppliers, taking full advantage of the combined resources of several organizations working in close communication. The team comprised of Trek, Nike, AMD, Bontrager, Shimano, and Oakley collaborate for a well-coordinated and technologically cutting edge array of products that produce the fastest Lance Armstrong possible. This is now the standard in the professional cycling industry. | |||
| ==Allegations of drug use== | |||
| Armstrong has continually denied having used performance-enhancing drugs, and has described himself as "the most tested athlete in the world" {{fact}}. Throughout his career only one test showed indications of the presence of doping products: in 1999, a urine sample showed traces of ]s, but the amount was not in the positive test range. He later produced a medical certificate showing he used an approved cream for saddle sores which contained the substance.<ref name="velonews050823">{{cite web | |||
| |last = VeloNews Interactive, with wire services | |||
| |year = 2005 | |||
| |url = http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/8740.0.html | |||
| |title = L'Equipe alleges Armstrong samples show EPO use in 99 Tour | |||
| |work = News & Features | |||
| |publisher = Inside Communications | |||
| |accessdate = 2006-07-26 | |||
| }}- "Throughout his career only one test showed indications of the presence of doping products. In the 1999 Tour, a urine sample showed small traces of cortico-steroids. Armstrong was cleared, however, when his U.S. Postal team, produced a medical certificate showing that he used a cream to ease the pain of a saddle sore. Even that sample, however, was below the levels that would have triggered a positive result at the time."</ref> | |||
| === Specific allegations === | |||
| * In 2004, sports reporters ] and ] jointly published a book alleging Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs (''] - Les secrets de Lance Armstrong''). It contains allegations by Armstrong's former masseuse ] who claimed that Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms.<ref name="velonews050823"/> Another key figure in the book, Steve Swart, claims that he and other riders, including Armstrong, began using drugs in 1995 while they were members of the Motorola team, a claim since refuted by other team members.<ref>, ''The Scotsman,'' June 20, 2004</ref> Allegations in the book were reprinted in the UK newspaper ''The Sunday Times'' in a story by deputy sports editor Alan English in June 2004. Armstrong subsequently sued the newspaper for libel, which settled out of court after a High Court judge in a pretrial ruling stated that the article "meant accusation of guilt and not simply reasonable grounds to suspect."<ref></ref> The newspaper's lawyers issued the following statement: "The Sunday Times has confirmed to Mr Armstrong that it never intended to accuse him of being guilty of taking any performance-enhancing drugs and sincerely apologised for any such impression." (See also in ''The Guardian''). Armstrong later dropped similar lawsuits in France.<ref>, ''The Austin American-Statesman'', July 07, 2006</ref> | |||
| * On March 31, 2005, Mike Anderson filed a brief <ref>, by ''Mike Anderson'', March 31, 2005 - (warning: PDF-file, 2.8 MB)</ref> in Travis County District Court in Texas, as part of a legal battle following his termination in November 2004 as an employee of Armstrong. Anderson worked for Armstrong for two years as a personal assistant. In this brief Anderson claims that he discovered a box of Androstenine while cleaning a bathroom in Armstrong's apartment in Girona, Spain.<ref>, ''The Austin American-Statesman'', April 01, 2005 </ref> While Androstenine is not on the list of banned drugs, the substances ] and androstenediol are listed. However, Anderson stated in a subsequent deposition that he had no direct knowledge of Armstrong using a banned substance. Armstrong denied the claim and issued a counter-suit.<ref>, ''The Austin American-Statesman'', April 02, 2005</ref> The two men reached an out-of-court settlement in November 2005, the terms of the agreement undisclosed.<ref>, ''The Austin American-Statesman'', November 05, 2005</ref> | |||
| * On August 23, 2005, ''L'Équipe'', a major French daily sports newspaper, reported on its front page under the headline "The Armstrong Lie" that the cyclist had taken ] during the prologue and five stages of the 1999 Tour de France. This claim was based on an investigation in which they claimed to be able to match samples from the 1999 Tour that were used to hone the EPO test to Armstrong.<ref>, ''The Doping Journal, September 22, 2005</ref> The world governing body of cycling, ] (UCI), did not begin using a urine test for EPO until two years later, in 2001. Armstrong immediately replied on his website, saying, "Unfortunately, the witch hunt continues and tomorrow’s article is nothing short of tabloid journalism. The paper even admits in its own article that the science in question here is faulty and that I have no way to defend myself. They state: 'There will therefore be no counter-exam nor regulatory prosecutions, in a strict sense, since defendant’s rights cannot be respected.' I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs."'' {{fact}} | |||
| * In June 2006, French newspaper '']'' reported claims made by Betsy and ] during a deposition that Armstrong had admitted using performance-enhancing drugs to his physician just after brain surgery in 1996. The Andreus' testimony was related to litigation between Armstrong and SCA Promotions, a Texas-based company that was attempting to withhold a $5-million bonus; this was eventually settled out of court with SCA paying Armstrong and Tailwind Sports $7.5 million, to cover the $5-million bonus plus interest and lawyers' fees. Armstrong later issued a statement suggesting that Betsy Andreu may have been confused by possible mention of his ''post-operative treatment'' which included steroids and EPO that are routinely taken to counteract wasting and red-blood-cell destroying effects of intensive chemotherapy. The Andreau's allegation was not supported by any of the eight other people present, including Armstrong's doctor Craig Nichols , or his medical history, although according to ] there exists a recorded conversation in which Stephanie McIlvain, Armstrong's contact at Oakley Inc., said to Greg LeMond, "You know, I was in that room. I heard it.". Why LeMond was recording this conversation is unknown, and LeMond has been embroiled in his own disputes with Armstrong (see ]). | |||
| === Investigation === | |||
| In October 2005 UCI appointed Dutch lawyer ] to investigate the handling of urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, LNDD. Vrijman was the head of the Dutch anti-doping agency for ten years, since then he has worked as a defense attorney defending high-profile athletes against doping charges. <ref></ref> Vrijman's report exonerated Armstrong due to improper handling and testing <ref></ref> and said that the ] (WADA) and the LNDD may have "behaved in ways that are completely inconsistent with the rules and regulations of international anti-doping control testing," and may also have been against the law. <ref></ref> The report said that tests on urine samples were conducted improperly and fell so short of scientific standards that it was "completely irresponsible" to suggest they "constitute evidence of anything."<ref></ref> The recommendation of the commission's report was that no disciplinary action whatsoever should be taken against any rider on the basis of the LNDD research. It also called upon the WADA and LNDD to submit themselves to an investigation by an outside independent authority.<ref></ref> The ] (WADA) rejects these conclusions and considers legal action<ref></ref> | |||
| ==Family== | |||
| Lance Armstrong met his first wife, Kristin Richard, in ]. They were married in ] and had three children: Luke, born in ], and twins Isabelle and Grace, born in ]. The couple filed for divorce in ]. Kristin Armstrong cited several reasons for the dissolution of their marriage, including her husband's rapid rise to celebrity, his comeback from cancer, and their constant movement between multiple homes in different countries. | |||
| Lance Armstrong began dating singer ] sometime in the autumn of 2003 and publicly revealed their relationship in ]. The couple announced their ] in ] and their split in ]. According to '']'''s ] cover story, Armstrong had struggled to grapple with Crow's ] diagnosis on ], 2006, but, after talking almost daily for a while, they have again gone separate ways. "I still think about her every day. Primarily now because of her health and hoping that everything works out. And I'm fully confident that it will," he said. | |||
| Armstrong was a host on '']'' in ], when the musical guest was his then-fiancée Sheryl Crow. | |||
| ==Political possibilities== | |||
| ] and Armstrong mountain biking at Prairie Chapel Ranch]] | |||
| In an interview with the '']'', teammate ] hinted at Armstrong possibly running for ] after retiring from cycling. In the ] issue of ''Outside'' magazine , Armstrong himself hinted at possibly running for Governor, although "not in '06." By ] political standards, he would almost certainly run as a ], as he has described himself in the past as being "middle to left," "against mixing up State and Church," "not keen on guns," opposed to the ], and ]. | |||
| U.S. Senator ], interviewed on ] at the ] Tour de France, stated Armstrong has the potential to be successful in politics. "I think he'd be awesome, he'd be a force. I just hope it's for the right party," Kerry said on OLN. Armstrong and President ], a ] and fellow Texan, count each other friends. President Bush called Armstrong in France after his ] victory to congratulate him and in ] '']'' () reported the President had invited Armstrong to his ] to go ]. | |||
| Armstrong was quoted by '']'' in ] about his views on Iraq: "I don't like what the war has done to our country, to our economy. My kids will be paying for this war for some time to come. George Bush is a friend of mine and just as I say it to you, I'd say to him, 'Mr President, I'm not sure this war was such a good idea', and the good thing about him is he could take that." | |||
| Most recently however, beginning in ], Armstrong has hinted that he has changed his mind about possibly entering politics. In an interview with ], that aired on ] on ], ], Armstrong pointed out that running for Governor would require the type of time commitments that caused him to decide to retire from cycling. Again on ], ], Armstrong told a local Austin ] affiliate that he is no longer considering politics. "The biggest problem with politics or running for the governor -- the governor's race here in Austin or in Texas is that it would mimic exactly what I've done: a ton of stress and a ton of time away from my kids. Why would I want to go from pro cycling, which is stressful and a lot of time away, straight into politics?" | |||
| Even more recently, Armstrong has begun to clarify that he intends to be involved in politics as an activist for change in cancer policies. In a May 2006 interview with Sports Illustrated, Armstrong is quoted as saying "I need to run for one office, the presidency of the Cancer Fighters' Union of the World." Sports Illustrated also quotes Armstrong as saying that he fears halving his influence with legislators if he chooses one side in American partisan politics. His Foundation is becoming more involved in lobbying on behalf of cancer patients before Congress, and Armstrong himself has said that he hopes to model his efforts in the area of cancer in much the same manner as U2's ] has done on behalf of poverty, AIDS, and hunger. His efforts might be limited in the interim as Armstrong told The Associated Press on April 19, 2006 that he plans to compete in the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2006. | |||
| ==] and victories== | |||
| ===Teams=== | |||
| *1991–1992: United States National Team | |||
| *1992–1996: Motorola | |||
| *1997: Cofidis | |||
| *1998–2002: US Postal Service | |||
| *2003–2004: US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor | |||
| *2005: Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team | |||
| ===Palmarès === | |||
| ;1992 | |||
| :First Union Grand Prix | |||
| :GP Sanson | |||
| :Fitchburg Longsjo Classic (overall, 1 stage win) | |||
| :Thrift Drug Classic | |||
| :Vuelta La Riberia (overall, 3 stage wins) | |||
| :Trittico Premondiale (1 stage win) | |||
| ;1993 | |||
| :] - World Cycling Champion | |||
| :] - {{USA}} National Cycling Champion | |||
| :] (Stage 8) | |||
| :Tour of America (overall) | |||
| :Vuelta Ciclista a Galega | |||
| :Trophee Laigueglia | |||
| :] (1 stage win) | |||
| :] (1 stage win) | |||
| :Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 2 stage wins) | |||
| :Thrift Drug Classic* | |||
| <nowiki>*</nowiki>The Thrift Drug Classic included 3 separate 1-day races. One in rural Pennsylvania, the next day in New Jersey and the last day in Philadelphia to determine the U.S. Pro Champion, also known as the CoreStates Cycling Race. Thrift Drug said it would award $1 million to a rider, if he won all 3 races. It had never been done before, until Lance Armstrong came around. He won all 3 races. At the USPro Championship race, on the final lap circuit, he sat up on his bicycle, took out a comb, combed his hair and smiled for the cameras. | |||
| ;1994 | |||
| :Thrift Drug Classic | |||
| :Tour du Pont (1 stage win) | |||
| ;1995 | |||
| :] (Stage 18) | |||
| :] | |||
| :] (Stage 5) | |||
| :Tour duPont (overall, 3 stage wins) | |||
| :Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 1 stage win) | |||
| :Tour of America (overall) | |||
| ;1996 | |||
| :Tour duPont (overall, 5 stage wins) | |||
| :] | |||
| ;1998 | |||
| :Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt (overall) | |||
| :] (overall, 1 stage win) | |||
| :Cascade Classic | |||
| ;1999 | |||
| :] (overall, 4 stage wins) | |||
| :] (ITT) (Prologue) | |||
| :Route du Sud (Stage 4) | |||
| :Circuit de la Sarthe (ITT) (Stage 4) | |||
| ;2000 | |||
| :] (overall, 1 stage win) | |||
| :GP des Nations | |||
| :GP Eddy Merckx | |||
| :] (ITT) (Stage 3) | |||
| :Bronze medal in the ] Individual Time Trial, Men | |||
| ;2001 | |||
| :] (overall, 4 stage wins) | |||
| :] (overall, 2 stage wins) | |||
| ;2002 | |||
| :] (overall, 4 stage wins) | |||
| :] (Stage 6) | |||
| :GP du Midi-Libre | |||
| :Profronde van Stiphout (''post-Tour criterium'') | |||
| ;2003 | |||
| :] (overall, 1 stage win, Team Time Trial) | |||
| :] (overall, Stage 3 ITT) | |||
| ;2004 | |||
| :] (overall, 5 stage wins, Team Time Trial) | |||
| :] (overall, 2 stage wins) | |||
| :Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon (Stage 5) | |||
| :Volta ao Algarve (ITT) (Stage 4) | |||
| :Profronde van Stiphout (''post-Tour criterium'') | |||
| ;2005 | |||
| :] (overall, 2 stage wins, Team Time Trial, Individual Time Trial) | |||
| ==Personal Statistics== | |||
| *Height: 5'-9.75" (177 cm) | |||
| *Weight: 165 lb (75 kg) | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *About the ] ] team during his speech of gratitude at the ]: "All their players tested positive... for being assholes."<ref></ref> | |||
| *"Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit however it lasts forever."{{citation requested}} | |||
| *"Anything is possible, you can be told you have a 90 percent chance or a 50 percent chance or a one percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight."{{citation requested}} | |||
| *"A boo is a lot louder than a cheer, if you have 10 people cheering and one person booing all you hear is the booing."{{citation requested}} | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| * Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: ''It's Not About The Bike. My Journey Back to Life'' (ISBN 0425179613), Putnam 2000. Armstrong's own account of his battle with cancer and subsequent triumphant return to bike racing. | |||
| * Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: ''Every Second Counts'' (ISBN 0385508719), Broadway Books 2003. Armstrong's account of his life after his first four Tour triumphs. | |||
| * Linda Armstrong Kelly, Joni Rodgers: ''No Mountain High Enough : Raising Lance, Raising Me'' (ISBN 076791855X), Broadway Books 2002. Armstrong's mother's account of raising a world class athlete and overcoming adversity. | |||
| * Daniel Coyle: ''Lance Armstrong's War : One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour De France'' (ISBN 0060734973), Harper Collins 2005. Former writer for Outside magazine documents Armstrong's road to the Tour in 2004. | |||
| * Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: ''L.A. Confidentiel : Les secrets de Lance Armstrong'' (ISBN 2846751307), La Martinière (in French). Various circumstantial evidence pointing to Armstrong's doping. | |||
| * Sharon Cook, Graciela Sholander: <B>Dream It Do It: Inspiring Stories of Dreams Come True</b> (ISBN: 1-884587-30-5), Planning/Communications 2004. Chapter 4 details Lance Armstrong's efforts to return to championship form following his cancer treatment -- an inspiring story of conquering one's fears. | |||
| * John Wilcocksson : ''23 Days in July'' (ISBN0719567173), John Murray 2004. An account of how Armstrong won his 6th Tour title in 2004. | |||
| * John Wilcockson: ''The 2005 Tour De France: The Last Chapter of the Armstrong Era'' (ISBN:1931382689), Velo Press 2005. The story behind Lance's last ever Tour de France and his 7th consecutive victory. | |||
| == References == | |||
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| * , August 3rd, 2005 | |||
| * ... four photo galleries | |||
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| * Armstrong's physical qualities and abilities | |||
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Revision as of 18:08, 1 August 2006
Is his dad Neil Armsdtrong?